The South of Scotland Junior Team Tour to the Newcastle area from Tuesday 26 July to Friday 29 July 2016 included two NCF matches against Northumberland Juniors and Durham Juniors.
The match against Northumberland Juniors was on Wednesday 27 July at the hilly, tree-lined parkland course at Burgham Park. The condition for the practice round the previous day had been hard, fast fairways and greens with which the boys found difficulty in adapting to and controlling the ball. Fortunately heavy overnight rain softened the course and it was much more to the boys’ liking for the match.
On a dull, cool and overcast day the two young Kirkcudbright members, Cameron Gray and Callum McMillan were two down after 6 and then lost the next four to be six down after 10 in the morning foursomes. They won the twelfth but lost the next and the game 6 and 5. The regular pairing of Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) and Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) were one down after 7 but birdied the tenth and won 11, 12 and 14 to go three up and win their game 4 and 3.
William Squires (Kirkcudbright) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) played steadily over the opening holes and were all square after 7. They went one down after 12 and then lost 13 and 14 before they recovered well and won the last three holes to halve their game. The final pairing of Ross Whyte (D&G) and Greg Rice (D&C) always seem to make things difficult for themselves. They were one up after 7, won 8 and 9, lost 10, won 12 and lost 13 and 14 to be one up. They then lost 15 but won 17 and 18 to win their game by 2 holes.
At lunch South had a lead of 2½ games to 1½ after the morning foursomes.
In the afternoon singles Cameron Gray lost the first two holes but won 8 and 9 and was still all square after 14. He won 15 and 16 and held on to win his game 2 and 1. Callum McMillan was one up after 6 but lost the 7th and was still all square at the turn. Two up after 14 he went on to win 3 and 2. This was a good fight back by both the boys after their heavy defeat in the morning foursomes.
Playing well, Angus Bendall continued his good form of the morning and was four up after 7 which he easily held on to and won 4 and 3. His partner in the morning foursomes, Nathan Watson, came up against an opponent with a red hot putter and went four down to a birdie at 7. This became six down after 12 and he lost 7 and 5. For the thirteen holes played the Northumberland player was one under par.
William Squires had an exciting game. One up after 7 became one down after 15. Still one down playing the last William holed his 130 yard second shot to finish all square. Another Northumberland boy with a red hot putter put it to good use to beat Iain Rae by 5 and 4.
Ross Whyte reversed the score line in his game by going two up after 7 and five up after 12 before shaking hands on the fourteenth green. Anchor man Greg Rice took an early lead and was four up after 7, halved the 12th in birdies and remained four up after 14. An easy win looked on the cards till he lost 15 and 16, but he kept his composure and won 17 for a 3 and 1 victory.
South won the singles 5½ games to 2½ and the match 8 games to 4.
Individual Results
Morning Foursomes
Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright) and Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright) lost to Max Bromley and John McStravick by 6 and 5
Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) and Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) beat Joseph McStravick and Matthew Wood by 4 and 3
William Squires (Kirkcudbright) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) halved with Brandon Jones and Marc Friar
Ross Whyte (D&G) and Greg Rice (D&C) beat Aidan Topham and Richard Coulthard by 2 holes
Foursomes Result South 2½ Northumberland 1½
Afternoon Singles
Cameron Gray beat Max Bromley by 2 and 1
Callum McMillan beat John McStravick by 3 and 2
Angus Bendall beat Joseph McStravick by 4 and 3
Nathan Watson lost to Matthew Wood by 7 and 5
William Squires halved with Brandon Jones
Iain Rae lost to Marc Friar by 5 and 4
Ross Whyte beat Aidan Topham by 5 and 4
Greg Rice beat Richard Coulthard by 3 and 1
Singles Result South 5½ Northumberland 2½
Match Result South 8 Northumberland 4
The morning of Thursday 28 July had been designated a rest period and the boys were taken on a conducted stadium tour of Newcastle United Football Ground. They were taken to a point high up in the Milburn Stand, 600 feet above the pitch, for a birds-eye view of the inside of the impressive stadium, then to the trophy room and visited the dressing rooms of both the home and visiting teams. At the pitch side they were allowed to sit in the Newcastle dug-out and finished with a visit to the Media Centre. Even though the stadium was empty it was not difficult to imagine the atmosphere that would be generated by over 50,000 spectators. The boys found this diversion from golf an interesting experience particularly the size of the stadium and the way footballers are pampered and looked after.
In the afternoon the group travelled to Garesfield Golf Club in Durham for a practice round in the rain before the match against Durham Juniors the next day.
The first game in the morning foursomes on Friday 29 July was conceded by Durham as one of their team was late in arriving. Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) and Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) got off to a slow start and were two down after 4 holes. A birdie at 7 reduced the deficit but they were back to two down at the turn. After winning 11, 12 and 13 to be all square they saw out the game on the eighteenth green with a half point each.
William Squires (Kirkcudbright) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) were one down after 4 and then lost 8 and 9 to be three down at the turn. The fight back then began and they won three in a row from the tenth before losing 13 and eventually lost by 2 and 1. The final pairing of Ross Whyte (D&G) and Greg Rice (D&C) birdied the 4th to be all square and was still all square after 9. One down after 13 became all square after 15 and they won 1 up.
At lunch the South boys held a slender lead of 2½ games to 1½.
In the afternoon singles Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright), after his enforced rest in the morning, took an early lead and was one up after 4, two up after 12, then lost 13 but held on to win by one hole. Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright) also showed that a rest now and again helps to recharge the batteries and he went one up after 4, all square after 6, one up after 13 and won 2 and 1.
Angus Bendall, who played very steadily from tee to green, just could not get the putter working on the slow greens, was all square after 6 but 3 down after 13 and lost 4 and 3. A 5 and 3 victory by Nathan Watson continued his good form of the morning. He was one up after 4, two up after 6 and four up after 13.
William Squires played very steadily to go two up after 4 and although he was only one up after 13 he regained his two hole advantage and won 2 and 1. Iain Rae was one up after 6 but all square after 13 and although he fought well he lost 2 and 1.
Playing his last game league game for South Juniors, Ross Whyte finished off in style. Two up after 4 he increased his lead to four up after 13 and won 5 and 4. Greg Rice had to fight really hard in a very tight game. All square after 6 and one down after 13 he finished on the eighteenth green all square.
South won the singles by 5½ games to 2½ and the match 8 games to 4.
Individual Results
Morning Foursomes
Cameron Gray (Kirkcudbright) and Callum McMillan (Kirkcudbright) w/o
Angus Bendall (Castle Douglas) and Nathan Watson (Kirkcudbright) halved with Will Marshall and Ben Souley
William Squires (Kirkcudbright) and Iain Rae (Dalbeattie) lost to Rio Jones and Scott Lyons by 2 and 1
Ross Whyte (D&G) and Greg Rice (D&C) beat Cameron Pipe and Stephen Turnbull by 1 hole
Foursomes Result South 2½ Northumberland 1½
Afternoon Singles
Cameron Gray beat Will Skipp by 1 hole
Callum McMillan beat Ben Jones by 2 and 1
Angus Bendall lost to Will Marshall by 4 and 3
Nathan Watson beat Ben Souley by 5 and 3
William Squires beat Rio Jones by 2 and 1
Iain Rae lost to Scott Lyons by 2 and 1
Ross Whyte beat Cameron Pipe by 5 and 4
Greg Rice halved with Stephen Turnbull.
Singles Result South 5½ Northumberland 2½
Match Result South 8 Northumberland 4
A great four days in the Newcastle area thoroughly enjoyed by all the boys with two marvellous victories and a visit to Newcastle United Football Club to savour on the long journey home.
The first photograph shows the team sitting in the Newcastle United dug-out. Back row Greg Rice, Cameron Gray, William Squires, Nathan Watson, Angus Bendall; Front Row Ross Whyte, Callum McMillan, Coaching Convenor Pam Watson and Iain Rae
The second photograph is the South Junior Team who played in both matches. From the left Callum McMillan, Greg Rice, Cameron Gray, Nathan Watson, Ross Whyte, Iain Rae, Angus Bendall and William Squires.